April 15: Cookies
Do you know the children’s story “If you give a mouse a cookie” written by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond?
The story “template” for the book is “If you give a mouse a cookie, he is going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him the milk, he’ll probably ask you for a straw. When he is finished, he’ll ask for a napkin.” And so on.
I have always wondered whether this is exactly the concern that arts funders have about giving grants to artists? If arts and culture activities are funded, will this necessitate a request for milk, straw, a napkin, and so on? What would a request for milk, straw, or a napkin look like? Might it be a request for a pension plan, a health plan, and regular income for artists like other occupations receive?
A grant is just a cookie. It’s not a full nutritious meal, it’s not groceries for a year, and it’s not even a full dessert. It’s just a small taste of something desirable with a desire for more.
Desirable because it can allow ideas to come into being. Ideas that allow you to hire others to support your work. Ideas that allow you to explore an unconventional thought with unconventional materials in unconventional ways. Ideas that allow you to focus on the idea rather than having to work a conventional job at the same time. And so yes, grants are desirable.
Variable responses to your request for a cookie
When you put in an application as an artist to an arts funder for a grant (a cookie), here are some variable responses from the funder:
They might give you the cookie once and never again because they don’t want to give you the milk, the straw, the napkin, etc.
They might deny you the cookie because they don’t want to get involved with you and your idea.
They might say they can’t give you the cookie to you because they have given it all away.
They might ask you to change your request for the cookie so they can give the cookie that they want to give out.
They might tell you that your request for the cookie doesn’t align with their latest interests.
They might deny you the cookie because they have decided that you don’t need it or you won’t like it.
They might close the cookie jar so that you can’t even ask them.
They might be too busy making the cookie that they don’t have time to give it to you.
They might give you the crumbs of the cookie.
They might not give you enough time to come and get the cookie.
They might ask you to give back the cookie and then they use it for themselves.
If you get a cookie
If you get a cookie, you are considered lucky. FINALLY, there is affirmation that you are an artist. FINALLY, there is affirmation that your idea is worth funding. FINALLY, there is some recognition for all the unpaid work that you did leading up to applying for the cookie. FINALLY, it was worth waiting 3-12 months to hear the results of your application for the cookie. FINALLY, you will get some attention from peers that your idea matters because it was approved by a funder.
And now that you have the cookie, somehow you need to put the rest of your life on hold so that you can realize this project. You will need to ignite the passion you originally had for the project when you submitted the grant application 3-12 months ago. You will still need to apply for other cookies while you work on this project so you can line up your new work. You will need to check if your collaborators are still available now that this project is going full steam ahead.
What’s the history of grants in Canada?
So, why does the arts and culture sector give out grants? What is the history of grants in Canada? As Canada was being developed, private donors funded Canada’s first symphonies, dance, and theatre companies as well as their buildings. US foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and Carnegie Foundation also funded cultural and educational infrastructure in Canada like the University of Toronto, McGill University, the National Gallery, the Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Social Science Research Council, Memorial Park Library (in Calgary where I live and many more libraries), and the National Ballet of Canada.
As I mentioned in my first blog posting about CONTEXT, the Massey Commission recommended the establishment of what is now called the Canada Council for the Arts to “develop the arts and support non-profits dedicated to excellence in European art forms.” From the beginning, public funding for the arts in Canada was intended to support the two settler cultures and languages - English and French and to protect from American influence. It was thought that without public support, Canada would be too influenced by the United States and Canadian artists and arts organizations would not be heard.
Since that time, now all levels of government - federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal provide funding for arts and culture activities, mostly through grants from arts councils and cultural departments. For example, federal funding to Canadian arts and culture happens through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Cultural Industries Development Fund,
If you want to read more, check out these resources:
https://thephilanthropist.ca/2019/05/a-balancing-act-supporting-the-arts-in-canada/
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-council-for-the-arts
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/arts-heritage-and-cultural-industries-funding
Are there other options?
When I think about this question, I think big! I think about how everyone’s stories, arts, culture, and creativity needs to be celebrated as soon as they arrive in Canada. I think about how those who have been living in Canada for some time need to go back to understanding the culture they came from. I think about all the ways that Indigenous peoples are reclaiming (and need to be given space to do so) their language, culture, ceremonies, stories, art, and creativity. I think about, what might it look like if arts, culture, creativity, language, and story was woven into the very beings that we are and not separated as something to think about, to be entertained by, or to be used primarily as a balm and escape.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have saved my art-study of the word cookies until the end. In this piece, I stitched the word with cotton thread into butcher paper. I used the paper because I thought it was interesting with both its rough and waxed textures and crinkled look. It also provided some interesting insights which I share below.
“Cookies” by Geraldine M Ysselstein (2023, Mohkinstsis). White cotton thread on butcher paper.
*Butcher paper has a functional purpose to wrap raw meats and fish to protect against airborne contaminants (or in our case vegetables). What functional purpose does a funder/grant have?
*Butcher paper has a temporary use which is to transport its contents. What is the temporary function a grant has? What is it transporting?
*Butcher paper is traditionally used to wrap meat and fish, but it came to us wrapped around our vegetables. What can we imagine about grants as different? Eg. Does there have to be a specific project created, or can they simply support artists to do art?
*Butcher paper is meant to be wrapped to hold something else. What is a a grant holding?
*Butcher paper doesn’t receive elevated attention or authority in its ability to hold. What attention or authority are we handing over to funders to elevate them? How does this give away our own power?
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Questions:
As an artist/arts organization, what motivates you to ask for the cookie (funding)?
As an artist/arts organization, what do you do when you don’t receive the cookie (funding)? Do you still proceed with the idea?
As an arts funder, what do you think your purpose is in giving out the cookies?
